1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fresh water generating apparatus condensing a water content in an atmospheric air so as to generate a fresh water, and more particularly to a structure preferably used for generating a fresh water in a desert area having a comparatively high temperature or the like by utilizing a refrigerating cycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the desert area, it is very hard to secure a life water such as a drinking water, an agricultural water, an industrial water and the like, there is a little river and it is hard to utilize the river. Further, an underground water has been utilized, however, when the underground water is dipped too much, a sea water gets into the underground water.
Further, a seawater desalination plane has been placed in a coastal area so as to obtain the water from the sea water, however, it is impossible to completely remove a salt content in the sea water, and a small amount of salt content is left in the obtained water.
Accordingly, there has been proposed an apparatus for condensing the water content in the air so as to obtain the fresh water, whereby there has been a structure in which a plurality of fresh water generating panels having hollow inner portions are placed and a refrigerant cooled by a cooling unit is circulated within the fresh water generating panels, thereby condensing the water content in the air on the surfaces of the fresh water generating panels so as to generate the fresh water. This structure is described, for example, in JP-A-9-99201.
In the prior art mentioned above, it is hard to sufficiently cool the refrigerant flowing through the fresh water generating panels by the cooling unit, and there is a case that an outside air temperature reaches 50xc2x0 C. in the desert area or the like. Accordingly, since it is impossible to make the temperature of the cooling unit sufficiently low when cooling the refrigerant by the high temperature ambient air, an efficiency of fresh water generation is reduced and it is hard to efficiently generate a lot of fresh water.
Further, in a place to which an electric power is not supplied, such as a developing area and the like, since it is impossible to generate the fresh water and the drinking water is very greatly demanded, it is desired to make the generated fresh water the drinking water.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior art mentioned above so as to obtain a structure having an improved fresh water generating efficiency and suitable for generating a lot of water. Further, another object of the present invention is to obtain a structure in which a region for placement does not depend on a matter whether or not an electric power is supplied, it is easy to transfer due to a compact size, and an excellent property in view of a maintenance and an operability can be provided.
In this case, the present invention solves at least any one of the objects and the problems mentioned above.
In order to solve the problems mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fresh water generating apparatus for condensing a water content contained in an air so as to collect by utilizing a refrigeration cycle, comprising:
a first heat exchanger having a refrigerant gas flow passage to which a compressed refrigerant gas is introduced, and blowing the air in an outer side of the refrigerant gas flow passage so as to condense the refrigerant gas;
a second heat exchanger having a refrigerant liquid flow passage to which a refrigerant liquid discharged from the first heat exchanger is introduced after a pressure thereof is reduced, and blowing the air in an outer side of the refrigerant liquid flow passage so as to cool; and
a power source for compressing the refrigerant gas and blowing the air,
wherein the second heat exchanger is placed at an upstream position within the air flow passage in which the air is blown, the first heat exchanger is placed at a downstream position, the power source introduces an ambient air containing a water content corresponding to the air from an external portion of a chamber, and the second heat exchanger condenses the water content in the ambient air so as to generate a fresh water.
In this case, the power source for compressing the refrigerant gas and blowing the air means compressing and blowing by using the power source, and it is particularly executed by driving a compressor for compressing the refrigerant gas by a power generator having a fuel tank, a fuel battery, a solar battery, a wind power generator or the like, or an air blower rotated by a direct-current motor or an alternating-current motor.
Accordingly, since the first heat exchanger is placed at a downstream position of the second heat exchanger, the water content in the ambient air is condensed by the second heat exchanger, whereby the cooled ambient air reaches the first heat exchanger. Then, since it is possible to effectively cool the compressed refrigerant gas introduced to the first heat exchanger, and it is possible to condense the refrigerant gas by the first heat exchanger without compressing the refrigerant gas to a high pressure, it is possible to generate the fresh water at a high efficiency.
Accordingly, it is possible to make the power source for compressing the refrigerant gas and blowing the air comparatively compact, and it is possible to make the structure having an easy transferring property, an excellent maintenance property and an excellent operability.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fresh water generating apparatus for condensing a water content contained in an air so as to collect by utilizing a refrigeration cycle, comprising:
a compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas;
a condenser for cooling the refrigerant gas compressed in the compressor so as to condense;
an expansion valve for reducing a pressure of a refrigerant liquid condensed in the condenser;
an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant liquid the pressure of which is reduced by the expansion valve;
a blower for introducing an ambient air containing a water content from an external portion of a chamber so as to blow to the condenser and the evaporator;
a water storage tank for recovering a fresh water obtained by the water content in the ambient air blown by the blower being cooled by the evaporator and condensed; and
a power source for driving the compressor and the blower.
Accordingly, since the ambient air is blown to the condenser and the evaporator on the basis of the power source driving the compressor and the blower, and the condensed water is recovered in the water storage tank, it is possible to effectively cool the compressed refrigerant gas and it is possible to generate the fresh water at a high efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to make the power source comparatively compact and assemble together with the water storage tank in a compact manner.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable to provide with a case receiving a fresh water generator receiving the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, having a blow-off port on an upper surface thereof and having a heat insulating material being wound around an outer side thereof, and the power generator. Accordingly, by using a transporting means such as a truck or the like, it is possible to place in a plurality of farms (fields), factories or the like, or it is possible to supply the drinking water to dwellings or the like.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable to provide with a case receiving a fresh water generator receiving the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, the evaporator and the blower, having a blow-off port on an upper surface thereof and having a heat insulating material being wound around an outer side thereof, the water storage tank and the power generator. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a temperature within the structure from being increased even in a place where a temperature is increased during the day.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable that the ambient air is introduced to the condenser and the evaporator via a dust filter.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable to provide with a case receiving a fresh water generator receiving the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, the evaporator and the blower, having a blow-off port on an upper surface thereof and having a suction port to which a dust filter is mounted on a side surface, the water storage tank and the power generator.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable that the evaporator is placed at an upstream position within the air flow passage to which the ambient air is blown, and the condenser is placed at a downstream position.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable that a fuel tank in which a fuel is charged a power generator generating an electric power by using the fuel are provided, and the electric power generated by the power generator is utilized as the power source.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable that the power source is a power generator generating an electric power by using the fuel stored in the fuel tank and the apparatus is provided with a case receiving a fresh water generator receiving the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, the evaporator and the blower, and having a heat insulating material being wound around an outer side thereof, the water storage tank, the power generator and the fuel tank.
Further, in the structure mentioned above, it is desirable to provide with a fresh water generator receiving the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, the evaporator and the blower and provided with a drain pan collecting the condensed water, and dip up the water collected in the drain pan by a pump so as to store in the water storage tank.